The Streets of The Bronx

ONE

Delilah's POV

April 1963

It was just like any other day in the Bronx. Sylvia and I sat on our stoop with Calogero. He was our childhood friend. We were having a cancer stick before school. Our parents told us not to smoke but we didn't care. We thought we were cool when we started but now it's just a bad habit that we can't shake. 

My name's Delilah, I'm Sylvia's best friend. Sylvia and I have been friends since before I can remember. Our parents are good friends. My dad's a lawyer and her dad is a mobster, but he doesn't think we know that he's one. We've known for a while. We just pretend like we know nothing. Calogero's dad is a bus driver, he drives us to school every day. Calogero thinks he's cool because he hangs out with Sylvia's dad, but really he's just like everyone else, a loser. 

"So, when's the bus coming?" I asked Sylvia. 

"I don't know you ask him." She replied. 

"Yo, Calogero when's the bus coming?" I asked as I puffed on my cigarette. 

"I don't know. Whenever he gets here." He replied. 

I rolled my eyes as I saw the hottest guy I've ever seen walking up the street. My boyfriend Sonny. He was being followed by Nils and Tom. 

"You guys waiting on the bus?" Sonny asked. 

"Yeah, and waiting for you to arrive." I replied. 

He smiled as he extended his hand to me. He grabbed my hand and pulled me up. I watched as Nils did the same for Sylvia. They were dating too. It was a fun time. Her and I could go on double dates with Nils and Sonny. That's what best friends did. Well, that was to keep our dad's off our backs about dating anyways. 

"So Sylvia, how's it going?" Sonny asked. 

"I gotta go to school so I don't know." She replied. 

He chuckled as he dragged on his smoke. I looked over and saw her making out with her boyfriend. That was something typical for her to be doing. It made her dad mad every time, but she did it just to spite him, and because she loves kissing Nils. 

"Alright here comes my Pops with the bus." Calogero said. 

"Oh good." I replied. 

I watched as the bus pulled up. I didn't wanna go to school. I wanted to stay home and smoke weed and fuck Sonny. I knew I didn't have a choice. My father would be pissed if I wasted the day away on that, so I went to school. 

"Good morning kids." Lorenzo said. 

"Morning Lorenzo." We said in unison. 

"Last day of school before the weekend eh?" He said. 

"Yeah that's the best day." C said. 

His father shook his head as we got seated. The school was the second last stop of his route. He always drove us if he could. We always walked home since we liked talking and smoking. Then we'd hang out in our regular spot  across the street from Sylvia's dad's bar. 

We got to school and thanked Lorenzo as we did everyday. He let us on the bus for free. It was just something he did to make sure we got there. 

"I don't wanna go to class." I said to Sylvia. 

"Let's bail." She replied. 

"Where we gonna go?" I asked. 

"Dairy Queen." She said. 

"But how we gonna get there?" I asked annoyed. 

"Walk to my house and then get my car so we can go." She replied.